On February 22, 2019, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) updated the high school graduation assessment requirements in both English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) and mathematics for the Classes of 2019 and 2020, pursuant to a consent order from the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court.
The Classes of 2019 and 2020
Students graduating as members of the Classes of 2019 and 2020 can meet graduation assessment requirements through any of these three pathways:
(1) Achieve passing scores on high school level NJSLA/PARCC assessments;
(2) Achieve scores defined in the table below on alternative assessments such as the SAT, ACT, or ACCUPLACER; or
(3) Submit, through the district, a student portfolio appeal to the NJDOE.
Each school year the NJDOE will determine the proficiency level and/or cut scores needed on the assessments to meet the graduation assessment requirements.
Note: Special Education students, whose Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) specify an alternative way to demonstrate proficiencies, will continue to follow the graduation assessment requirements set forth in their IEPs.
The Class of 2021 and Beyond
The NJDOE will continue to work with the New Jersey State Board of Education to address, through the regulatory process, the Appellate Division’s December 31, 2018 decision. It is the goal of the NJDOE to address this matter in a thoughtful yet expeditious manner.